My Eulogy to the Pocket Passer. I Challenge You

[Lord Marshall X]

It has officially happened. The pocket passer is dead. Oh really you say? Well just the other day I was able to . . . . . Be Quiet and listen.

Man coverage in this game is unbelievably good with competent corners.
Cover 1 robber can shut down most passing games and without the ability to run the ball with your quarterback you are screwed.

A pocket passer can never win a game without normally at least 2 of these things happening none of which has anything to do with the players skill.

1. Step one have a great running game with a nasty line and/or running back.

You did very little in the passing game? Let me guess? A few swing passes and slants and drags? A lot of runs that broke to the outside? A few long touchdown runs? Well thats not true I run . . . Stop lying. I've played enough ranked game to know how it works. Bounce to the outside if you can, I got it. Thanks Locomotion! Although in the running game you work mostly in the offenses favor unless I can get you in the backfield before you can build up momentum.

2. The defense runs mostly zone. You can throw if your opponent eschews man coverage and runs a lot of zone.

3. Have either an uncover-able TE or WR that can get open in 2 or 3 seconds.
Which means you better be running drags or stick and nod or four verticals with the crossing pattern like nobodies business. If that guy does not break open. . . . sacked.

If you go down by 10 and have to pass with a pocket passer you will go down in flames.

If you think I'm lying play a game with Arkansas. Don't get down early because if someone puts some man coverage on you you are done.

[Pogo27]

Most pro-style pocket passers operate in pro-style balanced offenses, which feature a good amount of run attack.

You also have to know how to move in the pocket.


I've played almost exclusively as pocket passers and had zero problem.


Get better and/or adjust sliders.

[BlastX21]

I run an Air Raid offense, usually with Texas Tech or USC. I've faced guys online who use man coverage every play. I still score around 31 a game. The key is to just keep spamming drags, crosses, and halfback swings until they use something else. If they dont, then keep at it.

[Lord Marshall X]

Quote: Originally Posted by BlastX21

I run an Air Raid offense, usually with Texas Tech or USC. I've faced guys online who use man coverage every play. I still score around 31 a game. The key is to just keep spamming drags, crosses, and halfback swings until they use something else. If they dont, then keep at it.

I said that in my post. but you can ONLY run crosses drags and swings. In real football you can run a curl or a square in route on man coverage. In this game these are strictly zone routes.

I also run my own version of air raid and people quit against me a lot. But a qb who can move gives you a first down on 3rd 12 when everyones locked up in man coverage and you scoot for 14. Pocket passers are sacked.

[dan_457]

Seriously man, There are a ton of things wrong with the game, and I will voice it if I think so, but I'm almost exclusively pro-style, because i find the spread is laughably easy to run, and i have no problem passing the ball. It is tougher this year because of the broken man coverage, but I've adapted to it and have had no trouble succeeding as a pocket passer at all now. As said it's easier most of the time because i focus and have success with running the ball, but, my starting HB went down for 6 weeks, so I've almost abandoned the run game and have my QB throwing for 45ish passes a game, and have completed on average 70% of them(which is actually a large improvement from when i was running more).

Being a pocket passer is tougher in these games. When i first really focused on playing QB in ncaa 08, my natural tendency was to scramble first, pass second. Basically i'd rollout to pass almost every play because i couldn't pass worth a damn in the pocket. But now by ncaa 2011, If i scramble in a game it's a rarity, probably happening no more than once or twice in a game, and i have a lot success in the pocket, even through the BS coverage. I just do what i can.

[LambertandHam]

My only real complaint is while I know pressure, having the computer being able to use nano's on me on AA, come on man. It's one thing to have to get the ball out to the flat or a FB quick, but when you hike the ball, and before the QB can even break out of his canned drop back animation, the defender is wrapping you up?